TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A 7-Eleven convenience store at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University campus said Monday it would suspend self-checkout services due to tea eggs being taken without payment, though the service ultimately remains in place.

In a now-deleted post, the store said 476 tea eggs had gone missing over the past two months. As a result, it removed the barcode for tea eggs from the self-checkout system, requiring customers to make such purchases at the counter, per EBC.

A public relations manager for Uni-President Enterprises Corp., which operates 7-Eleven stores in Taiwan, told Ettoday that self-checkout services remain available at the campus location. The company also urged customers to shop responsibly and in accordance with the law.

The store’s self-checkout kiosks were introduced four years ago. They allow customers to purchase items like steamed buns and hot dogs using mobile payments.

The post gained traction, drawing public attention. Many commenters expressed disappointment, criticizing the behavior as irresponsible for students at one of Taiwan’s top universities.

Some highlighted the scale of the issue, averaging about eight unpaid tea eggs per day, and questioned whether the store should file a police report. Others argued that theft, regardless of an item’s value, is a serious matter warranting investigation.

Hsinchu City police said they have not received a formal complaint but will look into the case. Under Taiwan’s Criminal Code, stealing is punishable by up to five years in prison, short-term detention, or a fine of up to NT$500,000 (US$15,390).